Four season fun can be found at American Legion/Peoples State Forests which offer the region's finest fishing, hunting and winter sporting activities nestled amid the wooded splendor.

History of the Area

Located in the Pleasant Valley section of Barkhamsted, the initial 213 acres of this forest were a gift from the American Legion in 1927 to provide citizens an example of proper forest management as observed by U.S. soldiers throughout Europe during World War I. The West Branch of the Farmington River, designated as a Wild and Scenic River by the National Park Service, is the center point of river-based recreational activities including trout fishing, canoeing, kayaking and tubing. Rugged terrain with steep, rocky hillsides typifies the remainder of the forest. The Henry Buck Trail, which winds through the forest for 2.1 miles, passes by historic mill sites and offers a view of beautiful rock formations as well as the river valley. The Austin F. Hawes Memorial Campground provides thirty spacious campsites near the river.

Henry Buck Trail (Blue blazed) Starts at the old bridge site on West River Road 2.5 miles north of Pleasant Valley. The trail leads up through the forest to the ruins of an old cheese box mill, climbs the Tremendous Cliffs which offer a good overlook, and continues down the north slope to about .3 miles north of the starting point.